Brooking says Cowboys will gather for workouts during lockout

Plans are in place for the Cowboys to gather for unsupervised workouts during the lockout, linebacker Keith Brooking told a Dallas radio station.

In an interview with KESN-FM’s “Galloway & Co.,” Brooking promised that the players will be prepared for the season when the lockout ends.

“There are guys who have gotten together and are going to continue to get together in groups and work out and do our thing, and there will be some organized stuff going on later down the road,” Brooking told ESPN’s 103.3. “Fans can be assured that…we are working and that we will be as prepared as we can possibly be, considering (the labor strife), moving forward and that we will be ready for this season.”

Citing a pact the players made not to publicize the workouts, Brooking declined to give specifics. But kicker David Buehler told San Antonio radio station KZDC-AM’s “Chris & Jason Show” recently that the Cowboys plan to begin unsupervised team workouts in May.

Brooking said the Cowboys are fortunate that so many of the players live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area during the season.

“It can be a big advantage for us,” Brooking said of the possibility that most of the players could be in attendance at the workouts.

Brooking said it’s important that the defensive players be in attendance so they can get a jump on implementing the system of new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. Coaches are prohibited from having any contact with the players during the lockout.

“We have to get the mental aspect of that down,” Brooking said of Ryan’s version of the 3-4 defense. “It’s up to us (team leaders) to get with the guys and go over that and try to be as prepared as we can when the time comes.”

Brooking doesn’t expect the lockout to last into September like some in the media have predicted.

“If I had to go with my gut, we are going to have all 16 of our games,” he said.